Little Red Wolf
by Pulchritudinem
Summary: Leslie goes to visit her beloved brother Antonio back in his poor village when she is suddenly attacked by wolves in the forest that surround the village. When she meets a particular wolf who offers her help in an odd way of churro exchanges, she begins to wonder of the legend passed down from her brother's home village and if it has anything to do with himself being bound to it.


**As promised, this is the first chapter to the second story in the Hetalia Fairy Tale Series, Little Red Wolf. So this Hetalia story is based off the, yup, that's right, the fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood. How did you guess? My title is so not obvious!**

**Disclaimer: Because Hime-papy totally saw me invent Hetalia, but then stole my idea and drew it himself, all original characters of the series now apparently belong to him. So, fudge a duck.**

**Hetalia Fairy Tales**

**Leslie X Romano**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**ᴥ **Village of the Wolves ᴥ

There were tales, about wolves that were the size of a full grown horse. They were intelligent and could speak human tongue, offering the humans advice in any desire they had for any infinite amount of knowledge, but in exchange asked for something of high value to them. If the wolves found that it was worthy, they would accept it without consequences, but if deemed otherwise, the asker would suffer the loss of a body part, and sometimes even their entire self if the knowledge they received was too much of importance. These superior wolves were named the Silver Wolves for their magnificent shiny coat, and were occasionally called the Guardians of the World's Knowledge and Secrets.

Though, one day a Silver Wolf was intrigued by a man's question of love for her, but for the first time was unable to answer a question that was given toward her. The Silver Wolf didn't understand if she was, or wasn't in love with this human being because she was not made for feeling but for knowledge. The man told the female wolf that he had nothing to offer for her answer as he valued her the most but if she could not answer, then he did not owe her anything. The young man gave her three days to answer to his request, and came for her on the third, in which by the time the wolf had been ready to confess that she indeed did love him. Her answer came to her when the young man of the neighboring village showed his devotion to her as he brought her flowers of every kind in the forest she and her clan roamed and his words in which he claimed that she was the most beautiful creature he had ever set his eyes on in the world and that he could not explain his longing for her to acknowledge him more than just a mere human. But before the Silver Wolf could give an answer, she had one question for him as well. She asked him why he had chosen to love her and not another wolf or human. Not only were they full of knowledge, but were able to take on the form of people, and indeed were also as beautiful as humans as they were wolves, but even so that did not truly explain why the man cared for her so much. When the man answered that it was because he could feel it in his human heart that his feelings of love towards her were of those that he could not have for any other and that his heart would race and his cheeks would flush only for her did she realized that he indeed had something of immense value to offer her for her answer. Filled with new knowledge of feeling, she nodded and smiled, claiming that she had found love in him. Because his love was so great for her, she was able to feel his feelings for her and obtain them herself. She told him that in exchange for her answer, he was to vow his love and loyalty for her and her only for the rest of his life.

Together, even though it was strictly forbidden, they created an inferior and corrupted subspecies of silver wolves that could not contain their strength and craving, becoming bloodlust beasts during a full moon. Purebred wolves could contain themselves, but it was the hybrids that would lash out at the villagers. Naturally, this caused fear to lavish about the neighborly residents of the Land of The Silver Wolves as many would be killed or their stock stolen, depriving families from food and jobs. The villagers could hardly go outside without hearing the cry of the wolf or the strike of the church bells that voiced the death of another brother. Soon, the graveyard began to become so full that they had to pile up bodies in the same pit to save room for more of the diseased. Leaving them devastated, the villagers began a tradition to ward off the wolves by placing magical seals of the holy church around the entire village, as the wolves were burned if in area of holy ground if in wolf state. This caused a bloody game of suspicion among them because they no longer knew who to trust, just as anyone could be the wolf. On the other hand, the Silver Wolves and or protector of the world's knowledge and secrets were furious with man for breaking a law of life and so therefore allowed the hybrids to attack the villagers mindlessly and for the hybrids to suffer for their actions as punishment for their existence and the villagers for allowing such treachery by crossbreeding. What the villagers didn't know yet was that during the full moon if bitten, it would cause them to turn into raging cannibals as well. The holy spells that surrounded the shamed village to ward off the beasts began to wear off as the village was filling itself with impure souls of those who murdered the innocent due to suspicion or just because their fragile minds could no longer stay sane with their diabolic situation and people massacring their own neighbors. This continued until eventually the war of man and werewolf ended with the sacrifice of the man who declared love on the Silver Wolf, as it was he who the Wolves were truly angry with, and not his fellow brethren. He went up to consult them and made a pact with them that if he was offered to them, then he would release his children of misery and his brothers from fear. With satisfaction to his proposal, they agreed to kill him instead, but the Silver Wolf who had gained the wisdom of feeling could not allow it. She claimed that by killing her faithful servant, they were causing him to break his vow to love and be loyal to her forever. The wolves became frustrated and could not understand the importance nor value to the silly vow until the clever young man eased their minds by assuring them that he was actually keeping his vow in sacrificing himself by showing that in protecting the Silver Wolf's treasure, or her children, he was showing his love and loyalty to her.

With these words of reassurance, they slaughtered the man in front of his lover and caused the sorrow of the Silver Wolf. Filled with rage, she led her children to her cold-hearted clan and had them devour their knowledge and wickedness, and in return the Silver Wolf and her children, who were spared the evil of mind of the Silver Wolf and forced only to change to their wolf state at night due to the pact, were honored by the villagers and welcomed into a new and peaceful village that was rebuilt after the war, named _Village of the Wolves_ or more commonly known in Spain as _El Pueblo do los Lobos_.

Today, there are no signs of the Silver Wolf ever having existed, but the village itself is inhabited by ordinary people who show no signs of any wolf bloodline. Despite this, the inhabitants of Village of The Wolves still carry the tradition of honoring the werewolves who brought their peace by celebrating the day of the new moon, when they were released of their corrupted nature.

Even though such elaborate fantasies exist among us humans, surely such a strange story had something to make it so believable as to have the inhabitants of its birthplace still follow in on its belief. For why else would they?

Today, I'm heading to the village where my make-believe brother remains and where I was born. I was coming back to visit from studying abroad in America, where I had gotten scholarships to pursue my dreams there. I'd miss my new home with my new friends, but I'd regret not coming back to see my loving brother, especially sense he lived poorly without the opportunity of being schooled much when he was a child. I had heard that mysterious attacks were happening near his home village too, so I bought myself a train ticket as soon as I arrived to check up on him. The sooner the better though, right? And it's not like I hadn't kept in touch with him or anything either; we just wrote to each other, which generally took a while to get a response, but nonetheless worked just fine for us. Not to mention it was cheap!

I sighed as the train halted with a deafening screech. Personally, I really hated having to ask for directions, but I had such a crappy sense of direction that if I didn't, there was no way I'd be getting anywhere anytime soon. I mustered up my courage and inhaled slowly. Alright, time to find that accursed village my brother had no choice but to live in.

I tried often to convince him that he should come live with me back in the states like old times, but he only came up with excuses to turn me down. He would mutter things like, _It'd be too costly, _or, _What would I do over there? I'd only hinder your studies… _Sure money might've been a problem, but I had new friends back in my new home country that wouldn't mind pitching in to help him move in and pay bills until he was well enough on his own and I knew this. I could also name a few places where they would hire a perfectly structured guy like him who had many talents, mainly consisting of home jobs like cooking, constructing or gardening. Besides, he was so gorgeous that I bet he'd be able to get a job just about anywhere just because of that! And Antonio could never be a nuisance to me even if he _**tried!**_ Why he insisted on staying in that old musty place was beyond me. It could've been because he knew he'd be homesick, or simply because he was scared to move into a whole other continent. That I could understand. It was scary for me at first too. America _was_ pretty _**big**_ and it was definitely vastly different than an old ancient village on the eastern side of Madrid, Spain, near the Mediterranean Sea. So I got that, but it's not like he'd have to get through it alone unlike myself, 'cause he'd have me there, someone who was by now a lot more comfortable about the place to guide him.

For some reason, I kept getting the feeling that he was hiding something from me, like there was more to it than what he led on. I almost felt like it was because of _someone_ rather than because of his ties to his birth place. But there was no way he could have a girlfriend and not tell me about it!

With this inkling into my mind, I felt vaguely more enthusiastic to get home sooner. If all it took for me to find out the truth was to ask some stranger for directions, then so be it! And no, I wasn't _jealous!_ I was only angry of the thought that he really might be hiding something like that from me as if he didn't trust me enough to, oh gee, I don't know, give me a heads up?!

I thought for a while as I trudged down the pavement off into the streets of the bustling city of Madrid. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got, and then I gave in to common sense. Okay, maybe I _did_ like him _just a __**little**_, even if he was supposed to be like my brother. But all the more reason to tell me, right? If I have feelings for him, but he feels things for someone else, I should know! It's like keeping someone's hopes up when you know they'll end up dead or losing anyway, and I really hated it when people did that! Well, unless I asked them to lie to me _purposely._ But I never did!

I felt my cheeks burn at the thought I had just confessed to myself. I didn't want to admit it, but it was true. I loved Antonio. It was hard not to like the guy when you grew up with him and spent almost every waking second in his glorifyingly happy presence. If I didn't know any better, I'd say no one could resist those charms of his. He was too easy to like, to ready to trust, and over all, too sweet. He was like a doting father, the perfect older brother, and a comforting, faithful friend all bundled up into one person. When you came across someone as special as that, I wouldn't have a hard time believing it to be true that one could love him just like that. But really, I just didn't want to see him hurt. I wanted him to keep smiling that tomato cheery smile of his like he w_asn't _poor and like he _wasn't_ alone. It made me almost believe like nothing could ever go wrong as long as he did and that things would always be so perfectly fine.

That's just how Antonio could make people feel.

It also almost made me forget the fact that he was _indeed_ still human and that he knew what sorrow was like, being very capable of wallowing in it just as easy as anyone else…

Stopping to ogle around at the signs that tried to confuse me into looking elsewhere, I sighed. I started feeling the palms of my hands dampen with sweat at the heart racing thought of my so-called brother.

I was so pathetic. How did I not see it until before now? But now that I knew, I wish I hadn't. This changed a lot between us, and I hadn't really given it much thought until now, but as the idea crossed my mind more clearly, I couldn't help but notice what it was like for me when we still lived together. I was so, _happy._ But not just any happy, it was the kind of happy you were when you were with someone you loved intimately.

At this point, my face was steaming. How was I going to see him now? I smacked myself with the map that was being clutched by my sweaty hands in attempt to pull myself together, ignoring the worried and confused glances I got from people around me to the best of my abilities.

_Come on, Leslie! What happened to all that energy you had just a moment ago!? THINK ABOUT SPAIN KEEPING SECRETS FROM YOU ABOUT ANOTHER GIRL! Go on! Rile yourself up! You can do it!_

The thought_ did_ make my blood boil a little, but now it was accompanied by butterflies that teased the insides of my stomach as I thought about that girl being me. It made me wonder what life would be like if he and I were more than just close friends, but I shook my head, trying to dismiss the idea.

At this rate, I wouldn't reach the Village of the Wolves until sundown. Yay.

* * *

After boldly asking for directions and grabbing a snack to munch on for the long walk home, I bobbed my head slightly as I listened to Deeper Deeper by ONE OK ROCK. I had managed to succeed in calming myself with these distractions thus far, so as long as I paid unnecessarily careful attention to the music that was currently blasting in my headphones, I should be able to avoid any lovey-dovey thoughts. But that also meant I had to avoid songs that had love splattered lyrics all over them, eliminating over half my playlist sense people for some reason always felt the need to sing of love. Or maybe they were just plain lazy like me, so they went with the norm and decided creativity was overrated. I just shrugged, taking their decisions for what they were.

As I munched on a churro cheerily, I winced at something that rustled in the bushes. It didn't feel particularly windy tonight, so that couldn't have been the wind. Slowing my steps slightly, I scanned around the area. I was currently in the Wolf's Bane Forest. I elusively recollect it as the forest brother Neto would sometimes hunt in. It wasn't supposed to be actively dangerous, so I didn't really worry too much about it. I mean I _had _come along with Neto plenty of times before when I was younger, and I was still alive, so I assumed I was pretty safe basing it off that.

Sparsely picking bits and pieces of my memory here and there, I began to remember the tales Antonio use to tell me of the wolves who still roamed this area. They named this forest the Wolf's Bane Forest because this was where the hybrid wolves of The Silver Wolf's species were banned to while the war was still going on. It was widely avoided by people because it was common to hear the cries of despair the wolves that did roam around howled out, as if they were mourning for their ancestor's loss. For some reason this seemed to freak people out, but I didn't think much of it. If they needed to let it out, by all means, I say let them. I always found that discharging feelings of distress like that was always best dealt out loud. It didn't mean that you had to stay away within a 100mile radius of them or anything though, as long as you weren't running about 'em and kicking them around, wolves generally never attacked people. Well, not in North America or Europe anyways. After all, these were your everyday modern Spanish wolves and _not_ actual Silver Wolf hybrids. They were pretty small and chances are that they are way more afraid of you than you are of them, so with this in mind, I kept my way on the shortcut trail to my home village.

Eyeing the scenery before me, I couldn't help but notice how dark the sky had gotten. It looked to about eight at night as the sky was just darkening, showing off a hazy blue. I shook my head. Sundown? Am I kidding? I won't make it before eleven tonight! If I'm lucky, Antonio won't be asleep by then!

I groaned as I chewed absently on my churro, shuffling my feet lazily along the asphalt road that had been carved in by people back in the old days who dug in a path over time. I felt myself perk up as the sound of a wolf's bellow echoed out through the forest. I suppose now was the time when they began to call out to the night.

I felt uneasy suddenly as my drowsy steps cracked on dead leaves and twigs carelessly. In the corner of my eyes, I noticed shadows dancing around along the figures of the thick wood and trees. Assuming it was only tricks played by the eye, I paid no mind to it. I continued this way, the song ringing on my headphones transitioning to Borderlands! By Kagamine Len, when a feral growl was breathed behind my thinly striped stocking covered legs. The tiny hairs on my neck and lower back stood on end as I felt this sudden rush of damp air. Yes, it was summer and the breezes were warm and moist, but summer breezes did _not_ growl_**. **_Stupid Summer breezes can't even do their damn job right.

Wait, what the hell?

_**Growl?**_

Ah shit.

I gulped back my fears as I forced myself to turn around to look at what was making such a displeasing noise in the midst of an already hot night, when I met great big honey coloured eyes that glowed in the moon light. Its eyes flicked over me as if it was sizing me up or something else along the lines of terrible, making my heart flop in terror.

As I stared at it in shock, unable to move, the humongous dog growled again, this time with a sure intent to kill.

_Holy crap, that thing is __**HUGE!**_

With a little bit of encouragement from the wolf, who began to open his mouth to show his fangs and snarl at me, I was finally able to urge my stupid glued feet off the ground, spinning on my heel and running forward like hell from it.

_Ohmygod!Ohmygod!Ohmygod!Ohmygod!I'msodead!I'msodead!I'msodead!I'msodead!_

I cursed at myself for having been so careless. I must have stepped onto wolf territory without even realizing it! Now if only I was lucky enough to not have alerted the rest of the pack, I might stand a chance at a daring escape.

_Okay Leslie, now's the time to show god what you're made of!_

During my panicked frenzy and as I was trying to go all double o' seven on the dang thing, I didn't realize that I was headed towards a large tree that I swore wasn't there before until I legitimately rammed into it.

Apparently, I was made of crap. How could I _**NOT**_have seen that tree? I groaned as I rubbed my nose annoyed, but with more pressing matters at hand, I froze. There it was again, that creepy, sinister, and kind of gross-smelling actually, breath raining down on my back. I shifted cautiously until I was faced to face with the beast.

Clutching thy churro in my left hand, I got a good look at just what I was up against. It was the largest wolf I had ever seen, its coat being tinted in a mixture of blood red and coal black colour, kind of like a fox. It's eyes were wide and disparaging and it's breaths were slow and defiant. I could practically taste the deadliness that dripped from the wild animal's black monstrous lips as it huffed into my face.

My bangs flew out of my face a little with each breath until suddenly the wolf growled at me again, causing my hair to fly everywhere and the skin on my face to be pulled back while this time also giving me the liberty to witness the long rows of thick teeth that adorned the insides of its oral area, clearly showing off the abyss that had already consumed many others.

I guess I was next.

After he stopped practically going all opra on my ass, he grunted, licking his lips and staring at me, then shifting its line of sight to something right under my face. Just when I thought he was sizing me up again just for good measure, I looked down and saw the quivering churro that looked as if to be recoiling in fear. I hadn't realized that my whole body had been shaking until I pressed a hand toward my wrist to calm my grip on the dessert.

Then it clicked.

He wasn't sizing _me_ up! He was eyeing my stupid churro!

…I think.

"Uh….Do you w-want some?" I asked stupidly, swearing at myself when my voice cracked slightly and my hand started shaking again.

The large entity growled once more, making me jump.

_Of course not. I'm such an idiot._

And then, just like something straight out of a Disney movie, the wolf tilted its head examining it. It sniffed it for a while before backing up and then sniffing it again. It licked the churro, but because the fella was so much bigger than the churro and I, its tongue engulfed my entire left hand along with the whole front side of my churro. I noticed its eyes light up slightly as he savored the sugary taste. Seemingly satisfied, it tilted its head to avoid biting my hand off as it slid the churro from my grasp. Once mission retrieve-churro-from-complete-stranger was accomplished, it sat down and ate it. I watched dumbstruck, not sure if what I was seeing was real, or if I was hallucinating from the lack of sleep I had dismissed on the train.

_I knew I should've drunk more water. I'm probably dehydrated and crazy._

As if reading my thoughts, the wolf huffed in displeasure at me, making me yelp.

"What!?" I snapped back at it.

It did something freakish to its face that looked a lot like it was actually cocking its eye brow at me.

Holy cow, wolves can't do that!

…

Can they?!

I was about to have a heart attack at how humanly it was acting all of a sudden when the sounds of wolves calling from all around was eerily getting louder. Both I and the abnormally large dog turned to stare at each other, the blackish-red guy still gnawing at my previous treat like a doggie toy. The wolves howled again, definitely louder than before as I began to vaguely make out the figures of four legged creatures roaming ever closer.

_Uh oh, that's not good._

The moment I planted my leg and jumped over the roots of the old tree, four different wolves, as if on cue and not including the big guy who swallowed my churro whole, pounced in on our little "camp out" area. The red one began to growl again and I thought, '_Oh great. It's on their side again', _when I sneaked a look at them as dumb as it was to do so and saw it fending off the other wolves as if in my defense.

I almost whooped when I saw this.

_Ah sweet! It's totally on my side!_ I hummed happily.

_Wait, what the fuck? It's not some guard dog. Wolves don't defend people!_

I furrowed my brows confused. That was also true…so why _was _it fighting to protect me?

If it wants another churro for its efforts, I would gladly give it to him, but the one I gave him was my last one…so…But he doesn't have to know that yet. For now, he can continue to do what he's doing! Even if it is unintentional charity!

My thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of growling and yelping as the big fella knocked them out cold, one by one with slight ease. Just when I thought it was over, I stopped behind a willow to catch my breath, hoping that nothing would detect me there, but then suddenly, I was pounced on from my right by another wolf, its black fur shining amidst the low light of the full moon. I screamed as it knocked me to the ground, struggling and squirming to break free, which would have worked if it hadn't been for the wolf drawing out its claws to puncture my arms down to the ground. A soar cry escaped my lips as I felt my arms bleed along the openings where the claws were digging past my flesh and muscle.

_Oh boy, I really hope that's not permanent because so help me, I will kick this fucker's ass! Granted, that _**is**_ if survive of course…_

The pain was so excruciating that I felt my arms go numb with it. I didn't bother struggling because it only sent rippling pains along my muscles and I wasn't risking anything on stupid ambition. I just had to find another way.

As it neared my face in a blood lust grip, it pushed its head back ready strike when thick, dirty red fur collided with coal, and suddenly the monster that had been formerly on top of me was now whipping through the air, struggling to maintain a steady fighting stance to then lounge itself at its new target.

I groaned as I attempted to get up and make a run for it, but the large wounds on my arms prevented me from doing so. Not to mention that when the claws were ripped out of me, it hurt like hell….

Opting to getting up in shocks of pain over being dead, I weakly stood up, burning probably a lot more calories than what would have been necessary had I still had perfect control over my arms.

As the two beasts duked it out, I scurried my way out of the line of site of either of them, my calves burning as I ran. I was careful though in running this time because if I tripped and fell, getting back up would be absolute _hell!_

When I was a good 2 minutes' walk away from them, I started getting dizzy, my body swaying side to side and my vision swimming. As I fought to maintain control over my consciousness, fatigue won over and I dropped, faintly muttering a "Fuck," as I could barely register how annoying the process of getting up again would be. As my eyes lids fluttered to a close and my hearing was muffled, I felt something rough and furry brush itself against me, large canines juggling me between sharp fangs as I was lifted from the floor.

This was it. The tale of the lowlife Leslie, who dies at the hands of a rogue wolf and doesn't even get to proclaim her love to the man she desires most.

Wow, what a lame life. Even _I _wish I were dead, sheesh.

But surely, this _was_ the end.

Right?

* * *

**Lol, story's over guys! Pack your bags and move on! Can't you see that the main character is dead? THEN WHAT ARE YOU STILL LOLLING AROUND FOR!? Nah, I'm kidding. I'm not THAT cruel...**

**Or am I?**

**No, no i'm not. haha.**

**But anyways, leave a review if you've got the time and calories, but if its too much of a hassle, thanks for just reading the story in general! It means a lot to me, so—*pulls out churro*—you get a free churro! From me, to you! Thanks for sticking around till now, and I hope to see you in the next chapter and or story! Bye bye friendly stranger!**


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